STUDIES ON THE CONDITIONS OF ACTIVITY IN ENDOCRINE GLANDS

Abstract

Cats with the adrenal glands intact, which have been rendered hypoglycemic to the convulsive level by insulin, lose heat rapidly on exposure to cold. While the body temp. is falling the skeletal muscles show marked hypertonus, shivering appears, the blood sugar rises and convulsions disappear. Spontaneous recovery from very low body temp. (circa 25[degree]) may occur. Animals without active adrenal medulla, similarly insulinized and exposed, do not shiver, show no increase in the glycemic level, and are unable to recover from low body temp. The injection of adrenalin or of glucose precipitates shivering, coincident with the rise in blood sugar, and stimulates recovery. Evidence is presented which indicates that the sympathico-adrenal apparatus may play an important role in the regulation of hibernation.